


Riverwood and a respite.

by IceBreeze



Series: Step aside exy, Skyrim is in town [3]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Alternate Universe - Skyrim Fusion, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-05
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-22 07:31:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9591884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IceBreeze/pseuds/IceBreeze
Summary: Riverwood was a tiny village, little more than a smattering of houses with a windmill and a wall. It was wood piled on top of stone: small, vulnerable and strange in a way Allison wasn’t familiar with.(Part 2).





	

**Author's Note:**

> So [@reytrashqueen](http://reytrashqueen.tumblr.com/) is an absolutely phenomenal person- the most wonderful being to ever grace this earth, the true deity of femslash and greater than a supernova- who deserves the universe as their red carpet and the world in a ribbon, but I have yet to figure out how to give them either of those things, so we’ll have to settle on me declaring this to be in honour of them. Because I love them, their interest in this au made my entire year, and I feel awful for killing the dark brotherhood (AKA. their family), so I guess this is both an apology and an attempt to make sure the world understands just how much I love them? So this is for you, Kat!
> 
> Not as strong as the first chapter, as it’s more of a transition chapter, but I hope y’all like it.

By the time they reached Riverwood, there was a faint tremor in Allison’s hands from Magicka depletion (they’d ran out of potions ages ago and she’d had to resort to using the sword for fear of running out completely) and she had long since passed the point of fed up. Renee’s movements were stiffer than normal, her speed offset by the ache of her injuries, and the sun had set hours ago, along it the last shreds of optimism, but they hadn’t risked stopping in fear of Raven’s catching up with them.

The rushing of water in the river was the only sound between them and silence as they crept down the path, clinging close to the greenery so as to try and retain some semblance of stealth.  Under different circumstances Allison would have loved to loiter, to study all the different kinds of flowers that thrived around them, petals and fruits of every shade under the sun because really, she’d never seen so much greenery before and Renee truly didn’t understand how envious she was right now. To feel the soil beneath her feet and marvel at how different it was to sand; how it felt like standing on a different world instead of simply a new country. But to do so would be suicide, so she pushed it all aside in favour of what needed to be done right here and now. Which was, quite sensibly, move the fuck along.

_(It was a practise that had been drilled into her since she was old enough to hold a sword; flights of idle fancy would only get you killed)._

Every single step they’d taken had been dogged by enemy after enemy after enemy, ranging from bandits to wolves to even more wolves. Lots and lots of fucking wolves because apparently Skyrim was teeming with the bastards like a bad rash. If she saw another wolf any time in the next century then it would be too damn soon.

_(God, she missed the dunerippers)._

It wasn’t until they had passed through the gate leading into Riverwood that Allison let herself breathe, hands clasping together in hopes of hiding the trembling. In front of her Renee sheathed her sword and shield, expression slackening in relief as they finally reached their goal. Riverwood was a tiny village, little more than a smattering of houses with a windmill and a wall. It was wood piled on top of stone: small, vulnerable and strange in a way Allison wasn’t familiar with. Beside it the river was a constant source of noise, the rush of water soothing away the silence like nothing was wrong. The village was asleep, with the only visible life being the patrolling guard- who took one look at Renee and deemed them non-threatening, nodding at them in a startling show of politeness- and the occasional chicken. 

_(It was so different to Hammerfell, to home, and it hurt to see)._

* * *

Renee stopped in front of a house near the entrance of the village- one with a forge on its patio and weapons hung out to cool, knocking three times on the door, pausing, before delivering another two sharp knocks. Barely a few seconds passed before there was a click, the door swinging open to reveal a woman with a scar over one eye and features as sharp as the dagger at her hip. Her gaze immediately landed on Renee, expression softening into a smile as she said:

“My girl, I feared the worst- we heard whispers of some of your lot being taken to Helgen and then something about an attack.”

Renee’s smile was a brighter thing, free of any of the lingering weariness that Allison had begun to think was permanent, and hugged the woman. 

“I was- still am, actually. I’ll explain inside.” She said, pulling away after a moment to turn to Allison with what was probably an attempt at reassurance but didn’t succeed in any way, shape or form, “This is my mother, Stephanie Walker.” 

Allison nodded at Stephanie when the woman’s stare landed on her, biting down any of the observations that came to mind, trying to keep a deathgrip on the last vestiges of politeness as she introduced herself, “Allison Reynolds.”

For a long (far too long, like creepily long) Stephanie just stared. Like, literally all she did was stare, studying Allison as though she could read her deepest secrets in the blink of an eye and it was disturbing. Allison had to fight not to fidget like she was four years old once more, being glared at by her mother after punching Arik because he’d been a jerk. But then her face split into a grin that was as warm and welcoming as Renee’s, and said:

“Pleasure. Come on in then and I’ll get you two some food; you look like you could eat a horse.”

* * *

True to her word they were greeted by a feast fit for a King upon entering. Or maybe several. She wasn’t one to judge how much a King could eat, after all her father had always eaten like every bite was painful. (Though, to be fair, there was very little that he didn’t hate so perhaps he’s not a good guideline to use). Allison hadn’t realised how hungry she was until the smell hit and at that point it was all she could do to not maul the table like the wolves she so hates. Food hadn’t tasted that good in a long time, plus it gave her an excuse to not take part in the conversation about how.

_(She’d already lived through it once and that was quite enough for her, thank you very much)._

Renee had been talking non-stop as she outlined everything that had happened between now and life taking a turn for the awful, only ever pausing to answer Stephanie’s questions. Now the words had petered out, everything important said and done, and Renee looked for all the world like she might collapse then and there. Stephanie was sat next to her, a hand on her arm, expression pensive despite their clear enjoyment in seeing each other once more. They were so focused on each other and the facts that had just been laid out to dry that Allison felt vaguely like they’d forgotten she was there. Not that she was complaining- being unnoticed tended to be advantageous more times than not. 

Stephanie had been quiet for so long that Allison wondered if she’d had a heart attack when she finally muttered, “If the dragons have returned and come to Helgen, then Riverwood and Whiterun may be next. Jarl Wymack must be told.”  

Her hand was running through her hair as though she was trying to pull out what the stress didn’t take. She looked old in that moment, tired, appearing for all the world like the warrior she must have been. Renee agreed without hesitation, “I’ll go. I need to tell him what I learned, as well.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow, once I’ve stocked up on supplies. Oh-” She turned to Allison, finally remembering she was there. “Do you know what you’ll do now?”

Stephanie turned as well and Allison found herself the sudden recipient of more attention than she wanted right now. She placed the bread down to free her hands, lips twisting down in a frown as she considered the question only to come up blank. What to do when she arrived hadn’t exactly been on her mind when she’d set out, after all. She said, “No, I’m afraid my plans stopped after step one.”

“Step one?”

“Get into Skyrim alive.”

Renee chuckled like she thought it was a joke and despite herself, Allison felt her tension ease at the sound, like her laughter could ease away anything unpleasant from life. There was a moments contemplation as Renee shared a glance with Stephanie before her gaze returned to Allison once more. 

She offered, “If you’d like, you could come to Whiterun with me.” and Allison’s grip on her tankard tightened. Suspicion was almost instinctual, flashing through her like a fire before she forced it down, trying to look at it reasonably. Renee had literally risked her life for her and she liked to think that meant she could trust her- no, she wanted to trust her, however foolish it may be.  So she snorted, hiding her doubt beneath humour, “Don’t want to lose the pleasure of my company, huh?”

The smile Renee gave her in return was bright and warm and so open that it washed away the last threads of doubt inside her and, “No, I’ve grown rather fond of you at some point between the Ravens and the wolves.”

Fond. Yes, though they hadn’t even known each other for two days she had grown to like her and she was reluctant to lose that (in Tamriel you could trust a scarce few and when you found them, you didn't let go of them). Plus Skyrim _was_ unfamiliar territory and no matter how good Allison was at surviving in the wilderness, it would do her little good if she didn't know the ropes.

So she smiled and said, “Sure. You’ve got yourself a companion.”

_(It felt remarkably like that was the moment she signed her life away)._

* * *

That night Stephanie had offered Allison the spare bed and for that reason alone she was probably Allison's favourite person in Tamriel right now. Except maybe Renee, who had quite literally risked her neck for her (and herself, because she was the best person she’d ever met) but that was a different scale. Exhaustion had been bone deep and she had fallen asleep the moment she collapsed into bed. But she dreamt of desert winds carrying a dragons cry to her ears, the head of a boy staring up at her as an axe swung and her own rolled, the fire licking at her heels as Helgen burned. When she woke there was sweat on her brow, a scream lodged in her throat as death danced behind her eyelids.

_(She didn’t sleep much that night)._

Come morning and a breakfast as extravagant as the meal the night before, Allison felt slightly less likely a reanimated corpse and she was able to act human once more, treating the whole thing like a picnic instead of a dance with death. She smiled and joked to remind herself that she was alive, that it was fine because she could laugh and she wouldn't let anyone stamp her down. Similarly, Renee's smiles were warm, shoulders no longer tensed for any sudden attacks, and the shadows that had lingered under her eyes were faded.

_(They’d been through Oblivion but by the Nine, they would not let it stop them from living)._

But once breakfast was done, they had to plan for the task that loomed ahead, unavoidable and heavy- a burden Allison didn't care for. They pored over maps that Allison worked to commit to memory and prayed for the best because it was the first time she'd seen one of this accursed place and she'd never been too good at map reading. Renee pointed out the route they'd take, explaining the main holds of the country and which areas needed to be avoided.

_(A known fox in Raven territory would not go down well and Allison was loathe to get dragged into their war)._

But that- that was all they could do, really, other than idle away the time. They'd already gotten their supplies from the Riverwood trader earlier on (which was an enlightening trip in terms of Skyrim trends. You go to shop and leave with a job and a lingering sense of doubt that did not want to go away). There was no way to predict what would happen so rushing would be in poor taste, but if they didn't hurry it was likely another soldier (likely Raven, which would be unfortunate) or the dragon itself would get there first. And neither option would work out well for them.

So when noon came and passed they hefted their bags, donned their weapons (gleaming new swords made by Stephanie herself) and left Riverwood behind them, heading out into the mountains in search of a city to warn: a legend lived and for them it would come.

_(Not for the first time, Allison wondered what she’d gotten herself dragged into by coming to Skyrim)._

**Author's Note:**

> Can be found on my[ tumblr, polyhymina.](http://polyhymina.tumblr.com/tagged/skyrim-au)


End file.
